The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women provides a vital voice on critical issues affecting women. Issues affecting women are not just women’s issues. Women’s issues are children’s issues. Women’s issues are family issues. Women’s issues are society’s issues.

Many of the difficult obstacles still facing women in Connecticut directly stem from lack of equality with men and lack of legal guarantees that would allow women to achieve the same equality. Women still earn less than one dollar for every dollar a man earns. Women continue to have lower paying jobs than men. Women continue to be underrepresented in many executive level positions. Women need the action and resources of the Permanent Commission on the Status of Women to attain pay equity, eradicate workplace discrimination, establish paid family leave, ensure affordable, safe and healthy daycare options, eliminate gender pricing, and strengthen labor laws impacting women. There is still much need and work yet to be done by the Commission which should have the financial resources necessary to continue with its mission. A budget is a representation of values.

It is important to ensure that the status of women continues to be strengthened and enhanced.

The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women plays a major role in advancing legislation that improves the economic and financial security of women to promote self-sufficiency. It has a proven track record of effectuating positive policy changes for the advancement of women and putting women’s human rights at the forefront of its legislative advocacy. Promotion of women’s human rights by legislatively ensuring women reach their full potential enhances quality of life for all residents of Connecticut.

The National Association of Social Workers, CT Chapter representing over 2900 members urges the Appropriations Committee to fully fund the PCSW.